So this spring is going to be hot for more reasons than one. In this case, it will be over congestion pricing.
Those that drive around the middle of Manhattan are pissed. Those that don’t drive could care less. So it will likely be those that drive that end up killing the plan.
In any event, the plan has already been slightly modified to shrink the zone where the $8.00 toll would be charged.
Now, the talks shift to adding public transportation alternatives. I guess not really adding, just increasing.
But there will be 12 new bus routes in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; increased service on 48 bus routes in Staten Island, Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx; 309 new buses; increase of service on the 1, E and F trains; and longer trains on the C line. [WCBS-TV]
So it will be nice to have more trains in service on many of the lines. Hopefully “increased” service means more than just one extra train.
SUBWAYblogger 
Congestion pricing is an invasion of privacy for everyone, bike riders as well as people with or without a car. It would be great to have less congestion on the streets in Manhattan, however one aspect which I have not seen discussed is the fact that the program will install several thousand TV cameras which are designed as both face recognition cameras as well as license plate recognition capabilities. The result will be that every aspect of every New Yorkers life will be observable and trackable. All elements of privacy will be eliminated. Though the program is supposed to work from 6AM to 6PM, there is little doubt that the location of people and cars will be tracked 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Before Congestion Pricing is passed, privacy issues MUST be discussed and strong protections must be put in place. Perhaps a special provision to the law should include a law stating that all files are to be destroyed and the data expunged after a set period of time, such as 24 hours.
Let’s make a better City, but without the total loss of privacy.
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